EVERYBODY loves a good farce, and you will not be disappointed by the Village Players when they present Ian Hornby's 'Hello, is anybody there?' at Pilning Village Hall this May.

All is dull and peaceful at Squire Grange. Lady Amelia searches for new ideas for her latest mystery novel as Sir Malcolm sleeps off the excesses of another idle day. Family friend Freddy is persuaded to try and think of new ideas. Meanwhile the hapless Vic Tim arrives and is promptly dispatched by an unknown assailant. Everyone tries hard to discover the murderer before he or she can strike again. The first problem, however, is how to get rid of Vic's body, not just because he is making an untidy mess on the stage, but also because he has to come back in ACT II as a policeman! Smalls, the butler, and Mabel, the maid, try to assist the inept police (and Sir Malcolm attempts to give the delicious WPC Nunnall a hand too) but not in time to prevent the Producer being murdered. There is even a suspicion that someone may have poisoned the audience.

Eventually Miss Marbles arrives to reveal, Agatha Christie-style, the culprit, who also happens to be the play's prompt. Or is there another culprit? This hilarious farce steadfastly refuses to take itself (or anything else) seriously.

'Hello, is there any body there?' is being performed from Wednesday 13 to Saturday 16 May 2015. Performances start at 7.30pm.

For tickets, please call 01454 633786/632813 or email villageplayerspilning@gmail.com.